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It was their love of darts that brought them together and their love for each other which led to a wedding for Southsea-based soulmates Keira and Simon Jacobs.

The newlyweds first met in 2013 at a darts competition in Colchester, where 27-year-old Simon, a lorry driver, was living.

Keira, 27, had her eye on her husband-to-be from the start, but he was so shy he didn’t realise she was trying to chat him up.

‘Simon basically ignored me,’ says Keira, who is a retail assistant. ‘He was clueless to the fact that I was chatting to him because I liked him.

‘The second time I met him that year at another darts event he spoke to me, but only to take the mickey out of my car.’

The pair became friends on Facebook but didn’t speak again until one year later, when Simon commented on Keira’s new profile picture.

After a few private messages were exchanged between the couple, both realised they had met before – but neither could remember where.

‘Because Simon ignored me and only focused on darts I didn’t pursue him, so I really couldn’t remember where we’d met at first,’ adds Keira.

‘We arranged to meet up the next day anyway and it wasn’t until after our conversation that I realised.

‘When I saw Simon I told him and, after a bit of prompting, he remembered too.’

The pair went for a drive before Simon asked Keira if she wanted to go back to his house for a cup of tea. That same cup of tea lasted three days after the two found themselves inseparable – something that is a running joke in both of the couple’s families.

Keira says: ‘We were smitten... I didn’t go home for days and the rest was history!’

Things moved at lightning speed for the pair, who moved in together one month later. They started looking at places to live in Southsea, to be closer to Keira’s mum, shortly after.

She adds: ‘They say when you meet the right one you know, and we have and we’re lucky – it didn’t matter how fast it was going, it felt right.’

Simon popped the question in 2014 after whisking Keira away on a romantic trip to London. He got down on one knee in an Indian restaurant, before the food came out.

‘He told me he was going to do it in November and it was only October, so I was still surprised.

‘I then got so emotionally overwhelmed that I couldn’t eat my food, but I was over the moon and I felt like nothing bad could ever happen again.’

The couple recently married and had their reception on board HMS Warrior. They were joined by 70 guests, including bridesmaids Amy Carr and Charlotte Jacobs, flower girl Ella-May Jacobs, best men Gareth McMahon and Duncan Robinson, and ushers Dan Zdan-Michajlowicz and Lewis Easton.

Keira adds: ‘My favourite part of the day was seeing Simon’s face when I walked down the aisle. It was that look of love. We were both trying not to cry.

‘Simon is just perfect for me. We suit each other so well.

‘We’re going on a cruise around the Caribbean next year and we’re definitely planning to have children.’